Re: The new VIA C3

["parksie ;-)" <mike_(_at_)_parksie_(_dot_)_net>]

On Thu, 2003-01-23 at 20:26, Dries Schellekens wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Jan 2003, Johan Sunnerstig wrote:
> 
> > If this a dumb question, sorry, but my programming knowledge
> > streches to being able to make a "Hello World!" type program :)
> >
> > VIA launched it's new "Nehemiah" C3 processor yesterday, and among
> > it's features is "PadLock"(More info in the link below).
> >
> > Im just curious, could this be useful for things such as IPSEC, and
> > similar tasks involving cryptography?
> >
> > Quick article about it: http://www.aceshardware.com/#60000487
> > VIA's page: http://www.via.com.tw/en/viac3/pb.jsp
> 
> "PadLock Data Encryption Engine" surely is a misleading term. It's just a
> random number generator (RNG), in the form of a new x86 instruction:
> 
>   "At its heart is an advanced Random Number Generator (RNG) that uses
>   random electrical noise on the chip to securely produce random number
>   values, and features a direct application level interface through a new
>   x86 instruction. Developers can obtain random numbers directly from the
>   hardware without having to use separate software drivers, thereby
>   providing an inherently more secure and efficient solution than combined
>   hardware/software RNG architectures The RNG includes several operating
>   modes, offering performance from 750K bits per second to as high as 6
>   million bits per second."
> 
> Some motherbords (see pchb(4)) provide this feature as well.

It may be overblown, but I think that anything that can help should be
used to its available potential (that is, given decent documentation
from the manufacturers).


Mike.